Rescue teams come from across the world, get working

It is for the first time in the country that such sophisticated methods of locating and rescuing trapped people are being adopted. Earlier, cranes and gas-cutters were being used to cut through and remove the debris.

However, in many cases yesterday, the heavy rubble slipped off while being lifted by a crane and fell on those being rescued, killing or injuring them.

The Swiss team used sniffer dogs to find the exact location of those trapped and then drilled small holes to rescue them.

Teams from Russia, the US and Turkey are reported to be on their way here.

The 69-member UK team reached the worst-affected Bhuj this afternoon by road from Ahmedabad. The team carries five truckloads of rescue equipment, sound and thermal imaging, for locating trapped survivors as well as steel and concrete-cutting equipment.

A two-member Emergency Assessment team, comprising humanitarian and disaster experts, of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) also reached here yesterday afternoon to coordinate with the Government, other external agencies and NGOs in relief work.

The UK, through the DFID, has committed upto £ 3 million, of which £ 500,000 have already been released to the International Federation of Red Cross to assist them in providing immediate emergency relief.

An additional £ 200,000 have been committed to support the efforts of the Russian search and rescue team and for the provision of humanitarian relief items.

The 27-member German team sent by the Government through THW, a government disaster relief organisation, has brought along electronic location devices, highly sophisticated cameras, and hydraulic earth-moving equipment.

The immediate deployment of these teams in the affected areas was crucial as the chances of finding survivors deteriorate after about 72 hours, a German Embassy release in Delhi said, adding that Berlin had already pledged to give about Rs 4 crore for quake relief.

A team from France is also expected here tonight to join the rescue operations. New Delhi
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) today despatched teams to the worst-affected areas of Bhuj, Anjar, Naliya, Bachao and Rapar in Gujarat to distribute drinking water, milk and milk powder to the survivors of Friday’s quake. The teams also include veterinarians.

Based on the assessment of these teams, further supplies of the essentials would be made on a regular basis, an NDDB release said.

Milk and its products have been sourced from the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets Amul products. Meanwhile, the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), a network of over 4,500 health and development agencies across the country, has sent three medical teams to interiors of Bhuj along with medicines and relief material. A VHAI release said here today that it had also apprised the Prime Minister’s Office of the possible intervention programmes.

Another 20 teams, including doctors and relief workers, would be constituted to provide medical assistance and undertake distribution of dry rations and other essential items to the survivors.

VHAI will concentrate on such areas and population which are relatively inaccessible. The association is also holding discussions on a long-term rehabilitaion programme for the survivors, to be undertaken once the initial relief and rescue operations are over. It would be similar to the one being carried out for those affected by the last Orissa cyclone.